UN in Action

Every year a new General Assembly president is elected. The current and several previous presidents speaks on the responsibilities of the presidency.

The importance of water in our daily lives is discussed in the context of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade.

Drought and famine in Africa and the slow pace of reversing its deteriorating economy.

Due to foreign military presence in the region, the Indian Ocean states are requesting the world to consider establishing the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.

The spread of AIDS in Africa, North America and Europe is discussed in the light of WHO's announcement at UN headquarters of its global strategy to fight AIDS.

Money is being spent on arms which can be diverted towards development. UN officials discuss the Special Session on disarmament.

The dangers of the depletion of the Ozone layer is discussed.

Three Central American presidents in the General Assembly express their hopes for the Arias peace plan for the region.

UNFPA's executive director, Nafis Sadik, speaks about the population clock and how it functions. We also see the SG visiting the world's Five Billionth Baby in Yugoslavia.

After intense negotiations and quiet diplomacy by UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar, a cease-fire agreement was reached in the war between Iran and Iraq, an 8 year conflict which has claimed over one million lives. A UN peacekeeping force consisting of 350 unarmed officers from 24 countries is to supervise the cease-fire. In Geneva, the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Iraq meet face to face for the first time to negotiate a lasting peace between the two countries.